Oral History Project
The U.S. Army has a long tradition of using oral history to preserve historical information and to enrich its official written histories with material otherwise unavailable in the documentary record. Since World War II, oral history has been an integral piece in the U.S. Army historian's toolbox. Today Army historians benefit from the increased popularity and institutional acceptance of oral history both within and outside the Army and from the technological advances that make capturing and preserving the spoken word easier than ever before.
Moreover, the demand for oral history has never been greater. In addition to providing important information for official historians to supplement official records, oral histories today are used in a variety of ways ranging from informing soldiers and leaders about their predecessors' experiences to "bringing to life" museum exhibits with the words (and sounds) of participants. The result is a fuller appreciation and understanding of the events and experiences that constitute the history and heritage of the U.S. Army.
-Stephen J. Lofgren, Center of Military History, Washington D.C, 2006.
The United States Army Aviation Museum's oral history project is a new initiative to capture the histories of the Army Aviation community throughout history. The museum staff is in the process of producing a repository of histories in its collection in order to provide research opportunities or just provide a better understanding Army Aviation throughout the years for those seeking more information.
For those seeking more information about the United States Army's oral history program, please reference the U.S. Army Guide to Oral History
For a list of all Army regulations governing the Army's historical program, please click here.
The United States Army Aviation Museum is in the process of making all of our oral histories available for download. We are striving to provide both the audio, video (if applicable), and transcript available for each history.
Below are the oral history categories the museum is currently processing. As components of the history become available, a link will be added for download. Please keep in mind the audio and video files are large files and download time will vary based on Internet speeds.
(Please Note: All oral history galleries are under construction and/or update. Please visit often as we build the links and videos within)